Okay, let’s run through this quickly. First, there was this thing called cream. It existed alone, in all its noncomedogenic glory, and hey, it did the job. Then the skincare world alphabetized – via Asia – and in came cult favorites BB cream, CC cream, and, alas, DD cream. With no sign of stopping. (Flashback to first-grade cursive.)

The newest letter pairing – EE cream – stands for “extra exfoliation” and is set to hit the market under the guise of Previse Skincare’s EE MarineGranules this March. It’s apparently a “botanical-based marine mousse” packed with bamboo stem powder and other ingredients our lowly creams never would have dreamed of.

If anyone wants to get ahead on the creation of ZZ (“zero zits”) cream, ping me – we should start sourcing intergalactic ingredients now.

You’re not the only one confused by the endless cream and moisturizer options out there this fall. BB. CC. DD. (Do they remind anyone else of bra sizes? Maybe it’s just us.) Here, a rundown of everything you need to know about the season’s top hydrators.